A year ago, I was sitting in this very room thinking of dozens of changes I wanted to make in my life. Some of them seemed impossible, others were just a matter of committing. As I sit here now and reflect on the past year, I am amazed at how different my life is and how much happier I am as a result.

Change is never easy, and it can be scary making decisions that move you into unchartered territory. The unknown appears scarier than the known, so we often just sit back and leave things the way they are. It’s more comfortable that way. No matter how much we hate our lives or how much we complain, we don’t change anything.

I finally found the courage to do something. I changed jobs this summer. And I changed my hours, so I have my evenings free and actually have a life again. This was scary, and sad, and not an easy decision to make or follow through on. But once I made that decision I knew deep down that there was no turning back. It’s what I needed to do, and I stoically prepared for and executed my plan.

I was doing what was right for me, but as the summer progressed, it turned out to be the best decision I could have made for completely unrelated reasons. Some things are too personal to write about on a blog, but there were some very sad and scary moments this summer and having the flexibility I had kept me sane. I was able to be there for someone who really needed me, and I would’ve been a mess if I had been working every day at my old job, almost always unavailable until the wee hours of morning…

I’m happy to say that that situation has been resolved, and things worked out better than anyone could have hoped. I’m so thankful for this, and am definitely convinced that miracles do happen.

I’ve been spending my free time reading and researching, growing my flowers and herbs, writing, experimenting with herbal recipes, and completing an online wellness coaching course. I think I’ve used my time well, and plan to continue doing more of the same.

I grew probably hundreds of calendula flowers, as well as other herbs and vegetables, and I’m very proud of that. My boyfriend and I learned as we went and we were pleasantly surprised with our rewards. We can’t wait until spring to come so we can do it again! For now, we are keeping busy admiring and propagating our various succulent plants.

I’m also proud of the fact that I’ve mostly kept up this blog since I (re)committed to writing regularly. I really do enjoy it, and there is so much to write about. Sometimes it’s hard to find or make time to blog, but I am getting better at disciplining myself. One of my problems is that I like to read and learn lol, so that takes away from writing time…but two posts a week is doable…especially since it usually helps reinforce my learning.

Realistic goals lol

Speaking of goals, my rock climbing has definitely improved, both in strength and technique. It’s my favorite form of exercise, and I love the mental aspect. I’ve also done quite a bit of hiking and biking this year, and found a lot of new places to go back to. I love having more time to be outside, especially during daylight hours lol!

All of this has given me a more positive outlook and a forward momentum that keeps me motivated. Most of the changes and improvements have been achieved through a series of baby steps, and it’s amazing to see where I’ve gotten in a year. I am definitely happier and I have amazing plans for the future!

If I had to pick something I’d like to commit to for the new year, I’d probably go with a morning yoga practice. There is not really anything stopping me from doing this, and I think it would benefit me in a lot of different ways. I really like those extra minutes of sleep! Sometimes, it’s really hard to convince my morning self to motivate…

Also, even though I try to eat healthy, I have to admit that my diet could use some improvement. It’s not just the holidays, I’ve generally been slacking off for the past few months. Not so much eating the wrong foods (although there is that), but not eating enough of the good things my body needs for optimal functioning. (No doubt contributing to that months-long sinus infection…) So I will be making nutrition a priority again in the coming weeks.

I am so grateful to every one who’s been following my journey on this blog. Your support means so much to me and I thank each of you from the bottom of my heart! I hope you all have a very Happy and Healthy 2018!

All in all, 2017 turned out to be a pretty good year for me. But I’m not sorry to see it go…